Waiting Outside...

Abigail stood outside the office waiting for the clients. There weren’t supposed to be any viewings until Monday, but this was potentially quite a big new client, so they really wanted first pick of the new units. Of course she would have rather spent this hot, sunny weekend day relaxing with a big glass of gin, but instead she was standing in the shade of the entrance door in a skirt and jacket waiting to sell some office space.

The car pulled up, late of course, and Abigail greeted the clients. Three directors from the firm who were looking to rent the unit. They might take the whole thing if it was suitable. The three women were from out of town and were dressed in sharp suits – all three of them in their early thirties, a little older than Abigail, and very glamourous. They didn’t even appear to be sweating in this heat, whereas Abigail felt like a hot mess.

She apologised in advance – there was a plumber working on the air conditioning today, but it would definitely be working fine by Monday. She opened the door and showed the clients in.

No sign of the plumber in the first few offices, which was good. But then in the last one on the ground floor there were a pile of tools and some rags or something on the floor. Abigail apologised for the mess. Kimberley, one of the directors, stopped her. ‘Abigail, he’s obviously fixed this unit – can’t you feel the cold air? I don’t mind seeing his bits and bobs if he can make me feel like this!’

All four women stood in the cool breeze under the unit, opening their jackets to allow the air to circulate around their bodies.

‘Your plumber could have just saved this sale,’ Alison, another director said to Abigail. ‘You’ll have to be sure to give him a nice bonus when you see him.’

Abigail laughed nervously. ‘Oh, yes! I certainly will! Would you like to see the offices upstairs?’